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Dow drops after reports of sluggish US growth

NEW YORK—U.S. stocks are falling sharply in midday trading, pushing the Dow Jones industrial average down more than 200 points, as investors react to reports of sluggish growth in the U.S. economy.

The decline adds to losses racked up by the market in January.

The Dow was down 183 points, or 1.2 percent, to 15,516 at 11:26 a.m. Eastern time Monday. The index fell as much as 206 points earlier. The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 22 points, or 1.2 percent, to 1,760. The Nasdaq slipped 58 points, or 1.4 percent, to 4,046.